The present invention relates to a process for producing 1,1,1-trifluoroacetone that is useful as an intermediate of pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals, or as a reagent for introducing fluorine-containing groups.
1,1,1-trifluoroacetone is known to be obtained by various methods. It is described in J. Chem. Soc. (Lond.) 1956, 835 that 1,1,1-trifluoroacetone is synthesized by a Grignard reaction between trifluoroacetic acid and magnesium methyliodide. This Grignard reaction must be conducted in an anhydrous state. In addition, it is also described in Tetrahedron, 20, 2163 (1964) that trifluoroacetone can be synthesized by decarbonating trifluoroacetoethyl acetate in sulfuric acid. It is described in Tetrahedron Lett. Vol. 24 (No. 5), 507-510, 1983 that difluoromethylketones are obtained at considerably high yield as a result of reducing chlorodifluoroketones, which are represented by CF.sub.2 ClC(.dbd.O)R (wherein R is a group not containing halogen) by zinc and methanol in tetrahydrofuran.